Phantasm

[jasper17]

This delicate, spectral perfume gives rise to an eerie distortion of of the senses. It bestows an ephemeral, ghostly, and truly haunting quality to your presence. Green tea, lemon verbena, jasmine and neroli.

I really, really didn't like this when I opened the bottle and first put it on. I thought I was getting a whiff of a dirty diaper. Almost rushed to the bathroom to wash it off but I re-sniffed my arm after a couple minutes and it was totally different. Sweet but not too sweet Jasmine tea and a tiny bit of a lemony scent coming through. Very girly and summertime warm weather. Soothing, too. After a while, a slightly powdery scent mixed in with the jasmine tea and lemon but it's not obtrusive and kind of actually works with the scent overall.

This is the first scent where I not only could discern most of the notes very clearly but I could also smell the changes in it as it met up with my body chemistry.

I like - this is a definite possibility for a big bottle

[Scarlettfish]

This is a very 'tea' scent on me. The green tea dominates, with a hint of lemon verbena and neroli wafting up now and then. The jasmine gets stronger upon drydown, but green tea remains the dominant note for me. Overall, I quite like this - it's very girly and summery and sweet without being overwhelming. Good for everyday wear.

[blu°]

Wore this today and whilst it's a lovely scent that doesn't have any component I dislike, and isn't annoying or offputting in the least, it's not something I enjoy wearing as a perfume very much. It's just way to light and fresh and lemony for my tastes. I, too, have the feeling that it doesn't last especially long on me.

[Alchemy21599]

So excited b/c I've been dying to try this!

 

In the imp: green tea, lemon and subtle white floral. Lovely!

 

Wet: Uh, oh. This seems... kind of sour.

 

Dry: Very subtle white floral, a hint of green tea and then it's gone.

Very promising in the imp. I will keep the imp and hope that it works better the next time I wear it.

[elphaba]

In the bottle, I couldn't make heads or tails of Phantasm. A sweetened floral, it seemed, but not particularly distinct. As soon as it hit my skin though...lemon!

 

Actually, it smelled like jasmine lemonade. I could almost see the pitcher, floating with white flowers. This is sweet lemonade, though, sweet and smooth. No lip puckering here.

 

On drydown, the lemon finally backs down and I can tell that it's lemon verbena. There's an almost thyme-y herbal scent that gives it away. The neroli must be what's giving this its sweetness.

 

After the initial blast of lemon, Phantasm is quite pleasant, but it's not a type of scent I associate with myself. It feels wispy and delicate. Appropriate for an ethereal creature, not so much for me.

Edited January 27, 2006 by elphaba

[Hawke]

In the vial: Bright, hard lemon candy.

 

Wet: Not quite as bright or sharp. I thought I smelled tea for a second, but it may be something floral. (ETA: Or both.) The lemon is still present.

 

Drydown: Oddly, this begins to smell like dish washing liquid. Is it the jasmine causing that? Possibly. And then bleach. And chlorine. And wah, where did my lemon candy scent go?!

 

Dry: What a disappointment. I *love* the initial lemony/tea scent, but bleach? Not so much. Also, another one that smells different on my wrists. The left is decidedly more bleachy. Yuck.

[Wench457]

Phantasm: Floral - probably jasmine, which may be problematic.

 

On: Sour and definitely jasmine. There's a woody, citrus smell as well. Probably The lemon verbena - that part is very nice.

 

Dry: Exactly like tangerines molding in the bottom of Christmas stockings. Don't ask me how I know what that smells like, but I do.

[abbycomix]

This just didn't end up working for me because of the jasmine. I learned from Phantasm that I shouldn't wear jasmine. It dominated the whole scent and was just too cloying for me. Sad, because I really was wanting to smell the green tea. I'm expecting some Shanghai now, which I hope will fulfill my green tea dreams!

[voodoobaby]

In the bottle, I smell a lot of green tea and jasmine, and some lemon. Wearing it at first, I get mostly green tea for a minute or two, and then a big blast of lemon, and then a little later it's jasmine and some creamy neroli goodness. It's very pretty. However, it's a bit too similar to Shanghai in my mind--like a sweeter, stronger spring version--and I don't like it as much. If I want this scent, I could just layer New Orleans over Shanghai. For that reason, I will pass this prettiness on to someone else.

[brownbear]

Yup, I get jasmine tea with a bit of the lemon verbena. Hmmm

I like it, but I don't think it will get a lot of use from me.

[Silverstrike]

The first time I tried this, it was mainly green tea and lemon verbena, which I liked. But since that first time, it's been different! Instead, it's heavily floral in a fuzzy sense (my nose reacts the same way to pollen) with barely any green tea or lemon verbena. In fact, they seem overpowered by the florals. I'll be passing this one on.

[bheansidhe]

This just didn't end up working for me because of the jasmine. I learned from Phantasm that I shouldn't wear jasmine. It dominated the whole scent and was just too cloying for me. Sad, because I really was wanting to smell the green tea. I'm expecting some Shanghai now, which I hope will fulfill my green tea dreams!

 

I don't understand how previous reviewers found this scent lemony or tea-like; the jasmine was overwhelming. It died down after a while, but not enough to make me want to wear this again. I'll make a break for Shanghai right after you.

[Diva Urd]

*is wearing Phantasm right now* Hm, this is pretty nice.

 

I've been wearing this for a good seven hours now, and I can still smell it. I never got anything strongly lemony, which I am very, very happy about (lemon always tends to turn into cheap household cleaner on me), but the jasmine is beautifully tempered by the small amount of neroli I get.

 

I don't think I like it enough for a bigger bottle, but the imp will stay with me.

[Medici]

In the imp: Lemon on the top, neroli on the bottom.

Initial Impact: Sharp citrus getting bogged down by the floral. (Is neroli a flower? For some reason I always thought it was... though I don't find it to smell particularly floral. La la la la!)

 

Wet: Lemon verbena dominating. It makes my nose tingle. There's a green edge to it, too - floral right below that.

 

Drydown: Green tea is out as the lemon verbena takes the backseat. (My nose is still tingling.) Jasmine peeks out just a little to sweeten things up. Mmm. Very nice, and surprisingly fresh-smelling. I can totally see this as a good addition to any decent Spring lineup for the seasoned collector.

 

Verdict: Me, on the other hand... I think I prefer straight lemon (Spirits of the Dead, June Gloom) to lemon verbena. It makes me want to sneeze.

[Meg]

In the bottle: Orgasmic! Green tea and jasmine, I think, absolutely gorgeous together.

 

Wet: Still green tea and jasmine. This is my favourite jasmine note, the "wet" one rather than the powdery one.

 

Drydown: Lovely, lovely lush jasmine with hints of green tea. It reminds me of a floral Embalming Fluid. I don't get much lemon verbena, and the neroli is playing nice for now - I'm afraid it'll go funky. Apart from the jasmine, I can't pick out any other notes, but I know for a fact that this isn't pure jasmine because it has a soft, citrusy quality to it

 

Overall: A beautiful, delicious scent. I'd want to drink it. It's one of those rare, beautiful jasmines that doesn't go all powdery and that just smells lovely. An absoute keeper, really delicious if jasmine works out on you.

[populuxa]

Fantastically bright and clean. It's invigorating! I really love the almost cut-grass tang of BPAL's green tea note, and it blends nicely with the verbena. The jasmine definitely takes the astringent edge off the verbena, softening the lemony edge with a sweet floral. This a perfect, refreshing scent for the summer heat.

[Rhowan]

Phatasm, Oh! how I love thee! Phantasm went on bright and citrusy with a hint of cooling green , green tea. The jasmine does a great job of keeping this from turning into Lemon Pledge on me - which is what happens with most Lemon verbenas.

 

Truly uplifting on a hot summers day! Good throw and great wear! This is a 10ml for sure!!!

[seamor]

Okay, this is not at all what I expected from the description. But, let me hasten to say, I like it!

 

I get mostly a cinnamon (cassia?) note. This is not listed among the igredients, but it's definitely what I smell. It surprised me because I usually expect cinnamon to be a component in heavier, warmer scents, and the other notes here are airy, sprightly, very fresh. Yet they blend and support each other nicely.

 

I can't seem to separate any of the other notes - just light, herbal, fresh, maybe a flower or two somewhere in the background, with this light, cinnamon-y waft.

 

Unique, and very wearable.

 

[Supervixon]

This smells almost exactly like Lush's "Flying Fox" on me. I love it. I just wish it lasted a little longer, because after like, 10:00 a.m. this morning, I couldn't smell it. Luckily, I had my tin of Flying Fox balm on me.

[pixievixen]

in vial: gah! lemon verbena all the way... a lil green tea cowering in the background.

 

on skin: the green tea isstanding up for itself a bit more, and some distant floral notes... but still mostly lemon verbena.

 

drydown: more green tea & jasmine shortly before dissappearing & leaving me with remnants of lemon pledge... meh.

 

glad this was a freebie... might be nice as a room scent, but doesn't work on me. if i want to smell like furniture polish i will get the benefit of polished furniture. lol

[HennaFairy]

bottle:

lemon verbena and tea

 

wet:

verbena and tea

 

dry:

slight floral (jasmine) with the tea and verbena in the background. It has a hint of that soapiness which gets stronger as time goes on.

 

overall:

wah, soapy.

 

rating: 5/10

[Galatea]

In the Imp: Smells just like my lemon verbena plants.

 

Wet: Lemon Pledge cleaner, jasmine and Neroli often smells this way to me, only this cleaner has just a hint of herbs.

 

Dry: The jasmine tones down a bit and the blend gets a bit more powdery. After only thirty minutes it's nearly all faint greeness and a bit of herbs; all the lemon and jasmine are gone, gone, gone.

 

Throw: Eh, and it fades quick too.

 

Overall: For those who like light citrus and green scents, this is perfect. It has a nearly overwhelming lemony scent at first, but then settles into a ghostly presence on the shin; barely there green tea and verbena.

Alas, alack, this is not for me.

 

Rating: +/- (neutral)

 

[Nekomata]

Wet: Lemon verbena all the way! Mmm!

 

Drydown: The neroli comes out. Yay! But so does the jasmine. Boo!

 

This is so nice and fresh, I almost think I could deal with the jasmine for it's sake.

[theseagrows]

this reminds me of embalming fluid with jasmine added, which is what it essentially is (i think?) as usual, my skin amplifies the jasmine, and i am not a big jasmine fan. i mostly smell the verbena + jasmine and the other notes are in the background. it does remind me of a softer lush flying fox as someone else said. i think i'll swap this one, it's just not very 'me'.

[sofiaviolet]

In the imp: Sour lemon candies. Erk.

 

On me, wet: Super sour lemon candies. Double erk.

 

On me, dry: Something foul has crept in. Ugh.

 

Verdict: Not for me. Off to the swaps.